Donald Sterling

BAILS On Interviews

with Barbara Walters, Anderson Cooper

5/2/2014 5:58 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

EXCLUSIVE

6:52 PM PDT. Donald Sterling talked to Walters and Cooper at length and decided NOT to go on camera, telling them he "wasn't prepared" ... sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ.

V. Stiviano did sit for a LONG interview with Walters, telling Babs she does NOT believe Sterling is a racist and saying the 15 minutes of audio were "taken out of context." She also said there was a 3rd person in the room when she recorded Sterling and he KNEW he was being recorded.

We're told poor Anderson walked away with zilch.

V was silent and back in visor mode (above) after talking to Babs -- but yes, she did take it off for the interview.

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